His stint as manager of Rangers could total 25 days or less if an appointment is in place for the Old Firm build-up.

Yet Graeme Murty has learned enough harsh truths of what life can be like in the Ibrox hotseat during that short time to offer an insight or advice to any newcomer to the madness.

He was entirely new to the Scottish domestic scene, as is preferred candidate Pedro Caixinha, when ushered from the sanctuary of coaching the Ibrox Under-20 squad and into the glaring spotlight where the stumbling first team were in need of caretaker guidance.

Graeme Murty took over temporary charge of Rangers following Mark Warburton's exit

Murty says he has learned a lot from his time as temporary manager of the Ibrox side

After a narrow Scottish Cup success over Championship side Morton, two away defeats at Dundee and Inverness, a dramatic first victory over St Johnstone with 10 men and a 6-0 Cup thrashing of Hamilton yesterday, Murty could very shortly revert — relieved, perhaps — to his original role.

As he slips safely into the background and rewires his brain for development-squad football, the former Scotland international can pass on to the Portuguese recruit — or whoever becomes the 15th permanent manager of Rangers (Jock Wallace and Walter Smith twice held the position) — some helpful signposts noted during his crash course of being boss at Ibrox.

'You have to realise and respect the history of the place and the mentality of the following,' insisted the ex-Reading captain.

'And make sure that you put out a team that performs, in keeping with the status of the club. It's what I wanted when I came here.

'I really wanted to experience what it means to be at a club of this stature, a club with a level of expectation upon it.

Martyn Waghorn celebrates opening the scoring for Rangers in their 6-0 rout of Hamilton

Rangers fixtures

March 12 Celtic (A)

March 18 Hamilton (H)

April 1 Motherwell (H)

April 5 Kilmarnock (A)

April 9 Aberdeen (A)

April 15 Partick Thistle (H)

'For my personal growth as a coach, the reason I came here was to see what it meant to actually be in charge of a team that was expected to win every week. I just didn't expect to be in it myself that quickly.'

When asked if anything had taken him aback, he replied: 'The level of scrutiny. I expected it. But even expecting it is so far short of the reality of it.

'As for dealing with the reality of it, we have a fantastic support structure at the club to make sure it doesn't become overwhelming.

'Whoever comes into the post has to understand that this place will be an eye-opener. It's not just at the training ground, at Ibrox, it's the whole of it, everything around this football club and the level of scrutiny across the world.

'We have to ensure that the person, when they do come in, gets the amount of support I had to enable them to cope with that angle and to focus on the football part. So I must compliment the support staff who have helped me in this period.

'It's been brilliant working with them. I have firm ideas how I'd like to operate going forward from that. This club has gripped me in the short time I've been here. That hold will stay with me.

Rangers' first choice to replace Mark Warburton, however, is Pedro Caixinha

'You recognise you are part of something greater than yourself. It can be all-consuming. This club engenders that passion in people because you recognise the scale, the stature of the club and you want to do well for it.'

Caixinha has been touted to take charge with a handful of days to spare before Rangers return to the scene of their 5-1 thumping by Celtic last September.

Murty suspects that no previous experience can brace a coach for Old Firm day.

The 42-year-old has been inundated with messages from pals in the game keen to hear tales from his three weeks in the front line.

In a quieter moment, he says there may be time for him to relay some of the experiences to an audience in awe of his exposure to one of the great jobs in British football.

Celtic celebrate during their 2-1 win over Rangers in the OId Firm derby on Hogmanay

'They are desperate to pick my brains about it,' said Murty. 'Loads of colleagues and friends have phoned me to ask what it's like and what I've learned, what is unique about this place. And you do struggle to convey the scale of it.

'The best experience I have of it was bringing my brother-in-law up for the Celtic game and he was just blown away by it. So I'd encourage those people who think they know, don't guess. Just come up and have a look.

'He's a Newcastle fan and goes to games with 50,000 every other week. He said he's never experienced a stadium that sings all the time from all four corners all the way through the game.

'He particularly enjoyed the intensity of the fans and the way they got behind the team. He thought the whole experience was stunning.'

Moussa Dembele celebrates scoring at Ibrox as Celtic recorded another win over Rangers

Mark Warburton's team fared far better that Hogmanay day than in the first league meeting, taking the lead through Kenny Miller but ultimately losing out to the power and higher class of player at Celtic's disposal.

Murty hints he would rather Rangers focused on establishing a better long-term structure and series of goals for the club than be obsessed by the current huge gulf between them and their bitter rivals.

Chasing Celtic is about to become the problem for a director of football and a new head coach.

Murty will go back to playing his part of nurturing talent that could feature in a Rangers first team able to put in a sustained challenge to Celtic in the years ahead.